A.P. Indy Emerges as Leading Day 1 Sire

Although one of his offspring failed to sell for a record RNA price of $7.7 million, A.P. Indy did have the session-topper and emerged as the leading sire of yearlings sold during the first day of the Keeneland September yearling sale Sept. 8.

Perennially among the leading sires on the track and at sales, A.P. Indy was represented by 11 yearlings that averaged $661,364 during the opening session, a healthy return on his $300,000 stud fee in 2006, when this yearling crop was conceived. While healthy, the Sept. 8 average would have been boosted significantly had the colt produced from Horse of the Year Azeri had not been bought back for $7.7 million by owner Michael Paulson.

Emergence of 19-year-old A.P. Indy, who stands at William S. Farish’s Lane’s End Farm near Versailles, Ky., atop the first-day sale sire list (with three or more sold) represents somewhat of a changing of the guard in that category. Following Day 1 of the 2007 fall sale, A.P. Indy ranked second behind Dynaformer. Dynaformer, who was still getting residual benefits from the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) victory of Barbaro, had three yearlings average $1.28 million during first session in 2007, while A.P. Indy’s 13 yearlings that sold during the session averaged $914,231.

Dynaformer, a 23-year-old stallion who stands at Robert Clay’s Three Chimneys Farm near Midway, Ky., was sixth by average during the Sept. 8 session, with seven yearlings selling for an average of $417,857, a healthy return on his 2006 fee of $100,000.

Second behind A.P. Indy this year is Empire Maker, the Belmont Stakes (gr. I) winner who had four yearlings average $658,750. With his first foals to race now 3-year-olds, Empire Maker has had six stakes winners from his first two crops. He stands at Khalid Abdullah’s Juddmonte Farms near Lexington, where his 2006 fee was also $100,000.

The first-day numbers showed continued demand for the offspring of Storm Cat, the one-time leading general sire and sire of sale yearlings who has been pensioned from stud duty at the Young family’s Overbrook Farm. The 25-year-old son of Storm Bird, who stood for $500,000 in 2006, averaged $604,444 for nine yearlings sold.

Following Storm Cat, Unbridled’s Song was represented by 14 yearlings that sold Sept. 8 for an average of $493,214, and Distorted Humor had 12 yearlings average $466,667. A 15-year-old son of Unbridled who stands at the Taylor family’s Taylor Made Stallions near Nicholasville, Ky., Unbridled’s Song had a 2006 fee of $150,000. Distorted Humor, a 15-year-old son of Forty Niner, also stood for a 2006 fee of $150,000 at Bill Casner and Kenny Troutt's WinStar Farm near Versailles, Ky.

The leading first-crop sire during the first session is Horse of the Year Ghostzapper, who had eight yearlings average $275,625. Ghostzapper, who stands at Frank Stronach’s Adena Springs Farm near Paris, Ky., stood for $200,000 in 2006.